KCTV 5: Children's Mercy calls increase in young COVID patients plus unmasked school 'recipe for disaster'
By Leslie Aguilar
Children’s Mercy Hospital is alarmed at the increase in kids testing positive and getting hospitalized for COVID-19.
Children’s Mercy Director of Infectious Diseases Dr. Angela Myers said that at the height of their hospitalizations in late December and early January, the number peaked around 15. She’s “very concerned” about the recent increase.
“We have a much more contagious virus that’s spreading right now, that we are allowing to spread and increase unchecked in our community. And, we may be having a bunch of kids return to school without masks. I think it’s a recipe for disaster,” Dr. Myers said.
The children hospitalized vary in age.
“Some do have underlying health conditions. But, some are some completely healthy, normal kids. A lot of teenagers,” Dr. Myers said.
Myers said the more contagious delta variant is to blame, along with low vaccination rates and life returning to normal without masks.
Dr. Myers also pointed out that a small amount of children experience long hauler symptoms from COVID.
“It’s a small proportion, but it does happen and we don’t know who it’s going to happen in,” Dr. Myers said.
She also said that even kids with mild symptoms or who are asymptomatic can develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome weeks after an acute COVID infection.
They said the best way to avoid all of those issues is get the vaccine if you’re eligible and mask up if you’re not vaccinated.
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